Long term evolution (LTE) and other radio communications technologies can require significant infrastructure and configuration. In LTE and similar networks, data from the network to a user device may be referred to as downlink data and data from the user device to the network may be referred to as uplink data. For example, user equipment (UE), such as a cellular mobile phone, may communicate with an enhanced or evolved Node B (eNode B) via the cellular radio transmission link. Data that is sent from the eNode B to the UE is downlink data, and data that is sent from the UE to the eNode B is uplink data.
Uplink and downlink LTE data is usually transmitted using one or more multiplexing and/or modulation schemes. For example, in some LTE networks, downlink data is transmitted using an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) and uplink data is transmitted using single carrier frequency-division multiple access (SC-FDMA). Such schemes may allow multiple streams of data to be sent simultaneously (e.g., at different frequencies). While such schemes may allow data to be communicated at high-speed, significant processing is required to encode and decode the data. For example, an eNode B may perform channel coding, multiplexing, and interleaving of data and control streams, which are then sent to the UE over the air (RF) interface. After pre-processing the received signal from the eNode B, the UE may perform channel delineation for downlink physical channels and/or other baseband processing. After separating LTE data from various physical layer channels, the LTE data may be further processed.
LTE frame synchronization is usable for identifying LTE frame boundaries for accurately decoding LTE data. In an LTE frame, there may be a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal. Receivers (e.g., LTE-capable user equipment (UE) or other devices) may use these signals in performing LTE frame synchronization to obtain a synchronization position. Generally, receivers perform a frame synchronization procedure that is quick but provides a synchronization position that is a few samples off from a perfect or accurate synchronization position because conventional synchronization techniques for determining accurate synchronization positions require significant resources and/or time. Generally, less accurate synchronization positions may be good enough to decode LTE data during optimal or near-optimal conditions and/or in environments having lower modulation requirements (e.g., networks using four quadrature amplitude modulation (4-QAM) or 8-QAM modulation). However, more accurate synchronization positions may be needed for decoding LTE data in less optimal conditions or in environments having higher modulation requirements (e.g., networks using 64-QAM modulation).
Accordingly, in light of these difficulties, a need exists for improved methods, systems, and computer readable media for determining a radio frame synchronization position.